Villages in Hiraethog

St Winefride's Church, Gwytherin

History of Hiraethog - Early history

The history of the Mynydd Hiraethog stretches back thousands of years when land was used for summer grazing and herds of red deer were hunted here. Between the Neolithic and Bronze Ages, domesticated herds of cattle would have been put to graze on the hills, and Iron Age settlers of around 3000BC made the first attempts at cultivating the land. Archaeological evidence shows that the landscape you see today is very much as it was thousands of years ago.

The area has long been known to have remains of burial and ceremonial features from early periods, such as those at Gorsedd Bran which can be seen from miles around. The construction of Llyn Brenig in the early 1970s gave archaeologists a fantastic opportunity to explore and excavate some of the sites and this has led to a much greater understanding of the lives of the inhabitants of the Hiraethog as far back as the Mesolithic period (over 7000 years ago).

Today you can find out more about the Hiraethog’s fascinating early history by visiting the Mesolithic site on the north east side of Llyn Brenig and by following the Archaeological Trail along its shores.